Liberty County Small Claims Court

Liberty County Small Claims Court

What’s a default judgment?

When a defendant fails to appear at the hearing or respond to the claim, the court can grant a default judgment. If a default judgment is entered, the plaintiff is awarded the amount that was requested in the claim along with court costs. If the plaintiff asks for damages that are not measured in money (like specific property), the court will likely conduct an additional hearing to place a dollar amount on the value of the property (or item being asked for). The defendant has only thirty days to respond to the caim. Once this time period passes, the defendant is in “default.”

Defendant’s Time to Answer

After the plaintiff files the claim, the magistrate court will serve the defendant with a copy of the claim (including the sworn statement) and a summons (with the date and time of the hearng) to appear in court. From that point, the defendant has thirty days to respond or answer.

Can I file my case in Liberty County?

If you are suing a person, you must file the case in the County where they live. If the defendant lives in Liberty County, you can file the case in this County. If the defendant is a corporation, the claim must be filed in the county of the registered agent for the company. To find the registered agent, contact the Corporations Division of the Secretary of State either online or at 404-656-2817. If the defendant is an unincorporated business (fancy for is not a corporation), file the case in the county where the business is physically located (ie. if the business is located in Liberty County, file it here). The plaintiff must also pay a filing fee. The filing fee includes the cost to serve one defenant. The actual filing fee varies amongst counties but is usually between $45 and $55. If an additional defendant is named in the action, there is an extra charge for serving the additional party. The extra charge is usually between $25 to $35 and caries by county. The Clerk for the Magistrate Court can direct you to the necessary forms (and review them for completeness) but is prohibited by law from giving legal advice. A clerk would be able to review your forms to make sure there is a signature in the appropriate blanks but will not be able to tell you which party you should sue. Additionally, the clerk will not be able to tell you if they think you will win your case (so don’t bother asking).

How can I file a claim?

A plaintiff (person who starts the claim or lawsuit) must file a sworn statement with the clerk of the appropriate magistrate court. The sworn statement describes the charges made against the defendant (the person or business that is being sued by the plaintiff). The sworn statement should include the following details:

Name, address, and telephone number of the plaintiff (and attorney if the plaintiff has one)

Name and strees address of the defendant

Amount of money plaintiff is seeking (sometimes called damages)

Detail why the defendant is being sued (and why this defendant owes the money)

Copies of all documents relevant to the claims (Keep the originals for your hearing)

How do I appeal a judgment?

If a party is not satisfied with the court’s decision, that party may file an appeal. The appeal will be heard by either the state or superior court in the county. On the appeal, either party may request a jury trial (something you cannot have at the magistrate court level). Appeals must be filed within 30 days of the judge’s decision.

Can I hire an attorney?

You may hire an attorney but you are not required to. You are able to file the case on your own completely without the assistance of an attorney. All cases are tried and heard before a judge, without a jury. You should remember that the procedures and rules for small claims court cases are designed so that a party should not need to have to retain an expensive attorney in order for their case to be effectively presented. Sometimes, mediation is recommended or required before the judge will hear the case.

Procedures for the Hearing

Some counties require the parties to attempt to resolve the case through mediation before the court hears the case (assuming the mediation is unsuccessful). Mediation is a dispute resolution tool designed to try and resolve the case by meeting with an independent third party who can evaluate the case and try to reach a settlement that is agreeable to all parties. Even if the parties are agreeable to settling the case through mediation, a plaintiff may still ask the defendant to pay court costs. If the parties cannot agree to settle the case, the the court will hear arguments presented by the plaintiff and the defendant. The court will hear evidence and provide an opportunity for both the plaintiff and the defendant to introduce their evidence (and allow each side to comment on the evidence introduced by the other party). When both (or all parties) are done presenting evidence, the judge will issue a decision. The court could award damages to the plaintiff, the defendant, or both depending on the merits of the case. If the plaintiff does not appear at the hearing, the court may do any of the following:

The court can allow defendant to put on his or her evidence and then issue a decision without hearing from the plaintiff.

Postpone the case until a later date

dismiss the case.

If the defendant does not show at the hearing, the court has the authority to grant a default judgment against the defendant. The name comes from the fact that because the defendant does not show, the plaintiff wins the case by “default.” We recommend making sure you attend the hearing regardless of whether you are the plaintiff or the defendant (regardless of whether you think the case is good or bad).

Preparing for the Hearing

Prior to the hearing you should:

Ensure you have all copies of any documents you need for the case. You should make at least two additional sets of copies (one for the court and one for the other party).

Communicate with any witnesses you intend to call to prove your case. Confirm they are available on the day of the hearing.

If a witness will not agree to appear, you need to subpoena them.

If you need additional documents for your case, you can issue a subpoena for those documents to obtain documents from other parties.

A subpoena is a piece of paper completed by you and issued by the court which commands certain persons to appear in court and may direct them to bring documents with them or to produce evidence. A subpoena can be obtained from the clerk’s office.

Can the Defendant sue the Plaintiff?

Yes. This is called a counterclaim. The defendant can file this against the plaintiff’s original claim if the defendant’s claim is related to the plaintiff’s initial claim and the amount asked for by the defendant is less than $15,000. The counterclaim of the defendant is generally heard by the magistrate court at the same time as the plaintiff’s initial claim.

Locations for Liberty County Small Claims Court

The magistrate court for Liberty County is located at:

201 S. Main St., Ste 2100Hinesville, GA 31313

It can be reached by telephone at: 912-876-2343. The fax number is 912-876-2474. The magistrate judge is Chief Magistrate Melinda Anderson.

Liberty County Small Claims Court

Liberty County Small Claim courts may also be referred to as Magistrate Courts. If a dispute arises between parties that cannot be resolved, a party can file the matter in magistrate court. The purpose of magistrate court is to resolve claims in an informal manner for any amount less than $15,000. The process is designed to be quick and inexpensive.

When will my hearing date be?

In Liberty County, the court selects the hearing date after the defendant responds to the claim. Hearing dates are usually 15 to 30 days after the date the answer was filed.

Which Types of Cases are Usually filed in Liberty County Small Claims Court?

These are some examples of the types of cases that are filed in magistrate court:

A tenant refuses to pay for damages which are more than the security deposit

A landlord wants to evict a tenant for failure to pay rent

Tenant moves out and landlord refuses to return security deposit

Failure of a merchant to deal with faulty merchandise

Borrower refuses to pay back money which was loaned

A dry cleaner will not pay for clothing which was damaged or lost

A mechanic charges for work not completed, unnecessary repairs, or poor workmanship.